Air conditioning means for automotive vehicles



R. C. GRAEF April z3, 1940.

AIR CONDITIONING MEANS FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Filed Nov. 7, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. jmssell C. zwj',

ATTORNEY.

23, 1940. R C. GRAEF 2,198,337

AIR CONDITIONING MEANS FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Filed Nov. 7, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

ATTORNEY.

April 23, 1940. R. c. GRAEF 2,198,337

AIR CONDITIONING MEANS FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Filed Nov. 7. 1958 1N VENTOR.

fvssegfmf, BY

@y ZM ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 23, 1910 UNITED STATES PATENTl OFFICE AIR CONDITIONING MEANS FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES Russell C. Graef, Westfield, N. J.

Application November 7, 1938, Serial No. 239,271

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for conditioning air within the interior of a closed automotive vehicle; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a very simple means adapted to be actuated by the vehicle engine driven propeller shaft, whereby, in operation, hot or cold air or a proportional mixture of 'both may be controllab1 delivered into the interior of a vehicle body.

The invention has for an object to provide an air control chamber arranged to surround a portion of the engine driven propeller shaft of a vehicle, within which chamber is disposed an air impelling fan which is directly affixed to and driven by said propeller shaft when the vehicle is in motion, said chamber having a hot air intake and a cold air intake on the suction side of the fan, with manipulatable valve means to selec-I tively control admission of air through said inzo takes so that 'either hot or cold air or a suitable 25 side of the fan.

mixture of both is discharged to the vehicle interior from the control chamber through a delivery outlet with which said control chamber is provided `and which is located onthe discharge The invention has for a further object to provide means for holding said control chamber in operative relation to the engine driven propeller shaft, and yet subject to movement therewith o relative to the vehicle body responsive to the usual spring play between the body and wheels of the vehicle.

'I'he invention has for another object `to provide means cooperative with the exhaust line of w derstood from the following detaileddescription of the same. Y

Illustrative embodiments'of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in part section,

showing portions ofthe closed body of an automobile, its engine and propeller shaft, and the novel fair conditioning means as operatively related thereto; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view enlarged, taken on line 2-2 in 50 Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view further enlarged, and taken on line.

3-3 in Fig. 1; Flg. 4 is a lvertical-.section ,taken on line 4--4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a yfragmentary sectional view enlarged of an air delivery register u to serve the'interior of the vautomobile body, said closed at its upper side by a cover or closure plate sembled to embrace the propeller shaft I3, and

\ engaged through .the meeting ilanges I'Iy of said the. casing sections. I5 and IB and the end porff provide outwardly projecting end flanges 2 I, with a which are aillxed to depend from the vehiclem section being taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view enlarged oig air heating means cooperating with the vehicle engine exhaust line, said view being taken on line 6 6 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view, showin'g a modied form of means for holding the air control chamber of the apparatus in operative relation to the engine driven propeller shaft' and subject to movement therewith relative to 10 the vehicle body responsive to the springing play of the latter. l

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modied form and construction of air controlchamber; and Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the same viewed from the 15 right in Fig. 8.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above-described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the reference character. III mindicates the interior and II the oor`of the closed body of an automotive vehicle; andthe t reference character I2 indicates the internal combustion engine which drives the propeller shaft I3 for operating the vehicle traction wheels (not shown). The reference character Mindlcates the exhaust pipe of the engine I2, through which the spent hot gases of combustion are discharged in the usual manner.

One illustrative embodiment of this invention, 'as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, comprises an air control chamber formed by casing sections I5 and I6 having meeting flanges I1 and bearing portions I8,.'-^whereby said sections may be assecured together by suitable fastening means I9 35 i sections, thus permitting a portion of said propener shaft la t pass through the interior of the chamber. The air chamber casing4 thusformed is 20. 4In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 4,

tions of said cover or closure plate are formed to which are' operatively engaged suspension' or holding means for retaining the air chamberv against rotative displacement relative to theL propellershaft I3, and yet yieldably supported re1- ative to thevehicle body subject-to springing .o playof thevlatter relative'toA the propeller shaft and to the vehicle wheels. One arrangement of such holding means comprises guide studs 22 floorI I -`to extend loosely through said end anges 1 plate 40. This valve plate 40 may be swung about 2|, preferably adjacent to the respective corners of the air chamben'cushioning springs 23 being disposed about said studs 22 intermediate the vehicle body floor IIl and the end anges 2| ofv the air chamber. An alternative means for yieldably holding the air chamber inoperative relation to the propeller shaft |3 is shown in Fig. 8, and comprises one or more lazy-tongs levers connections 24 afxed to and between the vehicle floor 2| and the air chamber.

Afxed upon that portion of said vpropeller shaft I3' which passes through the interior of the air chamber is an air impeller fan 25, preferably, in the embodiment of the invention'now being described, being of the cylindrical vaned type. The air chamber is internally subdivided by a transverse partition 26 to provide a fan housing compartment 21 open at its lower end beneath the intake side of the fan 25, as at 28, and so as to provide an air mixing compartment 29 on the intake side of said fan 25.l

The upper interior of said air chamber is further internally divided by a transverse partition 30, to provide onone side thereof a cold air intake compartment 3 I, and on the other side thereof a hot air intake compartment 32. An exterior wall of the air chamber (preferably a side wall) is cut away contiguous to'the cold air intake compartment 3| to provide an intake opening 33 leading thereinto from the atmosphere. Formed in connection with an exterior wall of 'the air chamber which is contiguous to the hot air intake comadapted to receive coupling connection therewith of a flexible conduit 35 leading from a source of 36 aflixed to the free marginal portions of said partition 30, and with its ends journaled in external bearing members 31 affixed to the respective sides of the air chamber', is a spindle 38 upon which are iixed the knuckle elements 39 of a Valve its pivotal connection to'a position a (shown by broken lines in Fig. 3) in which it closes com- Ymunication between the cold air intake compartment 3| and the air mixing compartment' 29 while at the same time lopening full communication between the hot air intake compartment 32 and said` air mixing compartment 29, or the valve plate maybe swung to a position b (shown by broken lines in Fig. 3) in which it -closes commay be swung to any selected position intermewith the fanhousing compartment' 21 on the dis- 65 ceive coupling connection therewith of aflexible munication between the hot air intake compartment 32 and air mixing compartment 29 while at the same time opening full communication between the cold air compartment 3I and saidl air mixing compartment 29, or said valve plate diate said positions a and b to thereby admit to said mixing chamber 29 any selected proportional volumes of both cold and 'hot air.

f Formed in connection with an'exteriorwall of thev air chamber in a vlocation to communicate charge side of 'thefan' 25 isy an externally lprojecting tubular neck 4|v which is adapted toire@ air discharge conduit 4'2.f

One means for furnishing 'hot air to the airA chamber comprises a heating chamber 43 adapted to be mounted on and to extend around the en- `V gine exhaust pipe I4 in spaced relation thereto.: Said heating chamber43 lis provided at its ends s with neck portions `44 to receiveand embrace the A exhaust pipe I4, and so as to'suitably afx said' with the interior I0' of the vehicle body. Illustrative of one such means of communication is the floor register 41 shown in Figs. 1 to 5 to which` the conduit 42 is suitably coupled.. If desired, this floor register may include, within its cham- Iberedinterior, a body 48 of brous material of any desired character retained between reticulate keeper plates 49'.A Said body of fibrous material f 48 provides an interstitial or porous filter or screening mass adapted to separate from the delivered air, prior to entrance thereof into the vehicle body interior I0, any containedV dust or like.

foreign matter. f

Means is provided for actuating the air control 4damper or valve plate 40 from the interior of the vehicle body. Said meanspreferably 'comprises a flexible shaft 50, one end of which is suitably coupled to the spindle 38 of said damper or valve plate 4u, and thel 'oiherend of which is coupled l partment 32 is an externally projecting tubular neck 34 leading into the latter, and which is with a manipulating knob 5|, orthe like, rotatably mounted in a bearing 52 afixed to the in- I strument board or panel or a Wall of the vehicle body. hot air. Rotatably mounted in bearing portions In operation, when the vehicle, equipped with the novel airconditioning means of this invention, is being driven, the rotation of the propeller Ashaft i3 is imparted to the Afan 25. If it is desired to deliver only heated air to the vehicle body interior, the operator turns the control knob 5| in a direction to transmit through the flexible shaft 50 rotary movement to the spindle 38 adapt- .ed to swing the damper orvvalve plate 49 to pop..

sition a (Fig. 3) ,-thus'closing access of cold air from intake compartment 3| to compartment 29, and opening full communication between compartmentv 29 and the hot air intake. compartment 32. 'I'he hot air is sucked by the' rotating fan from compartment 29 and impelled into the fan compartment 21 whence it is delivered through the conduit 42 `through `the register 41 into the vehicle body interior; If only cold air is desired, then the operatormanipulates the damper or valve 'plate 40 to dispose the same in position b (Fig. 3), thus closing access of hot air from the intake compartment 32 to compartment 29, andopening full; communication between compartment 29 and the cold air intake compartment 3 l,

whereupon the fan 25 delivers the cold air to the register 41. If desiredl air of desired modified temperature -between theV cold and hot may be easily obtainedby setting the damper or valve [plate in desired adjustedintermediate position between positions a and b (Fig. 3), thus admitungboth not and cold air, in desired. relative proportions, into the mixing compartment 29, to bel thence taken' by the fan 25and discharged to the register 41 for admission Ainto the vehicle body' interior.

It win vce obviousinat a` very simple and efectiveair conditioning lmeans is provided by the apparatus of this invention, wherein' the device is fullyv mechanicalfderivlng its operating power directly from the engine driven propeller shaft, thus avoiding electrical circuits, electrical motors and further drains on storage battery equipment involved in the case of the latter. The instant apparatus is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and install, and occupies but little room beneath the car so as not'to encroach on required road clearance. The air control chamber may be made of sheet metal, or may be formed from castings as desired.

In Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, there is shown a somewhat modified form of air control chamber and component parts, which nevertheless embodies the principles of the instant invention. In this modified structure, the air chamber is formed by a cylindrical casing made in longitudinally split half-sections 53 and 54 having marginal meeting flanges 55 secured together by bolts 56, or other suitable fastening means, so that a sealing gasket 51 may be interposed therebetween if desired. 'I'he end walls of said casing sections are provided with bearing hubs 58 internally cored to receive and seat antifriction bearings 59. Said casing is assembled about the engine driven propeller shaft I3, so that the latter extends longitudinally or axially therethrough and through the antifriction bearings 59. Aflixed upon the propeller shaft is a pitched blade fan member 60 positioned within and across the interior of the air chamber intermediate its ends. thus providing an air intake and mixing compartment on the suction side of said fan and an air discharge compartment on the delivery side of said fan.

4Formed in connection with the casing sections 53-54 are laterally projecting air intake means, comprising a cold air intake 6I open to the atmosphere and a hot air intake 62 with which the hot air delivery conduit 35 is suitably coupled. Said intakes 6| and 62 communicate with the air intake and mixing compartment provided on the suction side of the fan member 60. Rotatably mounted` to extend transversely across both the cold and hot air intakes 6l and 62 is a spindle 63 to the outer end of which is operatively connected the flexible actuating shaft 50. Aflixed on said spindle 63 to cooperate with the cold air intake 6| is a valve plate or damper 64. and, in like manner, affixed on said spindle 63 to cooperate with the hot air intake 62 is a valve plate or damper 65. plates 64 and 65 areset relatively at angular relations ninety degrees apart, so that when one is fully closed the other is fully open, but so as to be capable, when rotatedT of vbeing disposed in positions intermediate open and closed positions so as to admit cold and hot air in desired relative proportions for mixture to produce discharged air of desired modied temperature between cold and hot.

Formed in connection with the casing sections 53--54 is a laterally projecting air discharge means 66 leading from the air discharge compartment on the delivery side of said fan member 60. The air discharge conduit 42 is suitably coupled in communication with said discharge i means 6B.

'I'hese dampers or valve tions and by its other end to the' chassis framework 68 of 'the vehicle.

It will be obvious that the operation and use of the last describedmodifled form of the novel air control chamber and cooperating elements of the system is the same as that set forth in connection with the structure first above described.

As many changes could be made in the above described constructions and manyl apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, as defined by the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In an automotive vehicle having a closed body, in combination with the engine operated propeller shaft which drives the vehicle traction wheel axles, a hollow casing to provide an air control chamber through which said propeller shaft extends, means interconnected between the vehicle body and said casing for holding the latter against rotation, said holding means being adapted to yield to vehicle body movement relative to said propeller shaft, an air impeller fan fixed on and driven by said shaft within said chamber, said chamber having a cold air intake means and a hot air intake for communication with the suction side of the fan, a single pivoted damper means intermediate said cold and hot air intake means and manipulatable for` selective cooperation therewith to admit either hot or cold air or both into said control chamber, means connected with said chamber in communication with the discharge side of the fan to deliver air therefrom into the vehicle body interior, and means for supplying heated air to said hot air intake of the control chamber.

2. In an automotive vehicle having a closed body, in combination with the engine operated A propellenshaft which drives the vehicle traction wheel axles, a hollow casing to provide an air control chamber through which said propeller shaft extends, means interconnected between' the vehicle body and said casing for holding the latter against rotation, said holding means being' adapted to yield to vehicle movement relative to said propeller shaft, an air impeller fan fixed on and driven by said shaft within said chamber, said chamber having a cold air intake means and a hot air intake for communication with the suction side'of the fan, a single pivoted damper means intermediate said cold and hot air intake means andA manipulatable for selective cooperation therewith to admit either hot or cold air or both into said control chamber, means connected with said chamber in communication with the discharge ends of the fan to deliver air therefrom into the vehicle body interior, an air heater jacketing the vehicle engine exhaust pipe, said heater having air admission means, and means of communication between said heater and said hot air intake-of the control chamber.

3. In an automotive vehicle having a closed body, in combination with the engine operated propeller shaft which drives the Vehicle traction wheel axles, a hollow casing to provide an air control chamber through which said propeller shatft extends, means interconnected between the vehicle body and said casing for holding the latter against rotation, said holding means being adapted to yield to vehicle body movement relative to said propeller shaft, an air impeller fan fixed on and driven by said shaft within said chamber, said chamber having a cold air intake means and a hot air intake means for communication with the suction side of the fan, a single pivoted damper means intermediate said cold and hot air intake means and manipulatable for selective cooperation therewith to admit either hot or cold air or both into said control chamber, means connected with said damper means manipulatable from Within the vehicle body for swinging said damper means to a selected position,

latter against rotation, said holding means being adapted to yield to vehicle body movement relative to said propeller shaft, an air impeller fan xed on and driven by said shaft within said chamber, said chamber having a cold air intake means and a hot air" intake means for communication with the suction side of the fan, a single pivoted damper means intermediate said cold and hot air intake means and manipulatable for selective cooperation therewith to admit either hot or cold air or both into said control chamber, means connected with said damper means manipulatable from within the vehicle body for swinging said damper means to a selected position, exible conduit means connected with said" 

